Despite the fact that 24 year old Joseph Oloo performs brilliant scientific feats, he is struggling on his own in a one roomed house after dropping out of school. “To test or process his products, Oloo does not use any special machine. To dry chemicals for example, he uses an old laundry drier, an electric fan or the sun. He has a pounding motor and uses different patche-up clothes to sieve,” reports Onghwens Kisangala in The Independent.
Ironically, the best Oloo receives from theoretical ‘scientific experts’ that are yet to surprise the nation with any substantive material is skeptism about his abilities. This is characteristic of Ugandans about local talent and home made products.
Oloo is not alone; in the just concluded 44th graduation at Makerere University in Kampala city, four graduates of the faculty of technology were the highlight of the week-long event for developing a prototype environment friendly vehicle. The talented students received recognition and praise for their ingenuity in developing the “heart” as well as body of a vehicle currently on exhibition in
Government policies have undermined change that promotes job creation as opposed to job seeking. Many talented Ugandans have suffered discouragement in the job market and ventured for opportunities abroad in what is commonly referred to as “kyeyo” (casual labour,) a disguised form of “modern slavery.” Our government has ignored the boundless skills and talent in our young people making them vulnerable and afraid to venture into private practice, which has fostered resignation to risk less living with no valuable output.
Talent can enable a nation work through its problems. With the enormous changes in societies, rumbling shifts in technology and transition from industrial age to information age,
It’s no news that African leadership believe in World Bank and other western policies that promote the “death” of local effort and talent and stifle the emergence of a formidable middle class independent of state patronage.We should graduate from the politics of “bread and butter” to a higher understanding of our natural freedom to choose, so as to establish democratic governments that serve universal purposes and produce the mantra of true success in the form of uniform growth and sustainability.
We can no longer afford to cling to the popular culture of blame and victimization that has chained us to our problems. Like Fredrick bastiat said, God has bestowed upon all the natural talents and capabilities to produce wealth. Talent is not limited to the disabled, needy or those who find themselves on the bad side of the law. Difficult situations simply trigger convictions to survive enabling one to reach deep and discover what they are made of.
However, it is upon each individual to discover, develop and utilize their talent to better their lives. No one should wait for difficult times to discover potential for wealth creation. We are the resources to transform own lives. The right time to do that is yesterday.